


Second Chance

by Whimsy_Cal



Category: Hermitcraft RPF, Minecraft (Video Game)
Genre: Angst and Drama, Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Angst with a Happy Ending, Author is a Technoblade Apologist (Video Blogging RPF), Character Death, Cross-Posted on Wattpad, Crossover, Death, Demonic Possession, Depression, Dream Team SMP Angst (Video Blogging RPF), Dream Team SMP Lore (Video Blogging RPF), Dream Team SMP Spoilers, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Emotional Manipulation, Emotional/Psychological Abuse, Eventual Happy Ending, Family Drama, Fanfiction, Graphic Description, Happy Ending, Hurt/Comfort, I Wrote This Instead of Sleeping, Implied Relationships, Implied/Referenced Mind Control, M/M, Major Character Injury, Minor Character Death, Near Death Experiences, One Big Happy Family, Other, Past Character Death, Technoblade Angst (Video Blogging RPF), Temporary Character Death, The Author Regrets Nothing, Violent Thoughts
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-02-23
Updated: 2021-03-09
Packaged: 2021-03-14 01:35:17
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 5
Words: 10,852
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29660439
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Whimsy_Cal/pseuds/Whimsy_Cal
Summary: Technoblade tries. He tries his best. But the voices in his head only continue to grow stronger, demanding the bloodshed of those around him. He knows that his friends are in danger, even with the war over. To make matters worse, there's a large bounty on his head, Ghostbur is asking too many questions, Tommy is now exiled, and Dream is hunting him down.He can't risk bringing harm to the ones he loves, especially Phil, his father, the man who raised him, the man who had lost his family because of their foolish desires. He needs to escape the voices in his head. The memories of war only strengthens them with each passing moment that he's in the Godforsaken country.Technoblade has no other choice. He has to leave L'Manburg.But where will he go…?[DREAM SMP AND HERMITCRAFT CROSSOVER]
Relationships: Charles | Grian/GoodTimesWithScar, Clay | Dream/GeorgeNotFound (Video Blogging RPF)
Comments: 45
Kudos: 243





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> This is cross-posted on Wattpad. If I make any mistakes, I'm sorry. This is my first time uploading something to ao3. Feel free to give constructive criticism. I really appreciate the feedback!
> 
> A Dream SMP and Hermitcraft Crossover that nobody asked for! Enjoy <3

He ran.

Specks of falling snow flew across his face, his cheeks vacant of any warmth he had once felt. The ground beneath his boots slowed him down as he sprinted, making him tire much quicker that he would've wanted, but he kept going. He had to. He couldn't stop. Now now, not ever. Not when everything he had left behind had finally let its icy grip on his thoughts start to fade with each passing second, as the distance between him and the place he once called home, became farther with each step he plundered. 

Cold air bit at his hands and ears. It stung, horrendously. However, he had dared not to halt in his steps. He couldn't allow the darkness he had just escaped to catch up to him, and the echoing voices begging to be heard were slowly disappearing. He was winning the battle, as he should always. The mocking jeers soon faded completely, their desperate desires left unfulfilled as he kept on running. It felt like bliss. 

He had done it. The voices were no more, at least for the time being. They would soon catch up eventually. He just had to stay one step ahead of them. 

As the sun began to set, he allowed himself a moment's notice of peace and prosperity for the sheer silence that accompanied him and his hollow mind. Aside from the occasional jittering of a skeleton's bones rattling about, or the hungry mumble of a zombie lurking nearby in the shadows, it was as quiet as the night of Christmas Eve. 

No blood-hungry voices screamed in his ears. His once clouded mind began to clear up, the fog inside slowly lifting to reveal a new blanket of safety over his trembling figure. He allowed his thoughts to drift to the inner workings of his mind, prodding at what little happy memories remained. They were his new temporary sources of protection from the harsh blizzard that surrounded him, bringing him warmth like that of a fireplace. 

At the sudden thought of a homely environment, flashes of his childhood appeared before him. Phil and him were preparing the table for the last supper. Wilbur was decorating the Christmas tree with Tommy at his side, who was continuously pouting at the fact that he wasn't tall enough to reach any branches in order to hang an ornament. The young boy's chubby hands clung to another's side, Tubbo, who had only responded to the gesture with a playful pull on Tommy's hair, which resulted in the blonde tearing up again. 

They had all been so young, Techno the oldest, then Wilbur next in line. Tommy and Tubbo came after them, declaring them as the youngest ones of the family. Phil was young too. His hair had been shorter, more neatly tried back in a loose-end ponytail, and his majestic wings that were once full of beautiful lilac-gray feathers, had now lost their color due to age. 

It made Techno smile. His family had once been so happy. Phil didn't deserve everything that had happened. He didn't deserve to see his sons fight wars, destroy governments, nor did he deserve to see his second-eldest son die, by his hands of all things too. 

Why couldn't everything had gone the way they had hoped for? A bright, smiling, future full of hopes and dreams, and maybe even a nation actually worth fighting for. 

But no, everything changed when he had risen to power... 

Dream. 

The name itself made Techno's blood begin to boil. Something about hearing that name made him even more of the animal he was. He hated that part of him. The side of his mind that wanted nothing more than death and destruction, to show superiority over everything that was beneath him. It had always made his skull ache everytime, and often caused him to lash out at anything and anyone in the nearest vicinity, no matter how important they were to him. 

Techno shuddered. He could hear the voices catching up. His foolish decision to stop for even just a moment, had caused them to gain the upper hand. They were closing in on him from every corner and angle he could see. The war veteran shook his head, and started sprinting farther into the safety of the trees before him. He had to get out of here, he had to keep running, no matter what happened, he wouldn't allow the voices to reach him again. He could not afford to hurt those he surrounded himself with any longer. Not again. Not after what happened with him and Phil... 

Pain hit his side, and he cried out in surprise. Something warm ran down his waist, and he could smell the familiar scent of blood reaching his nostrils. His eyes traced down to the arrow that had lodged itself in his flesh, the telltale rattling of a skeleton alerting him of who the culprit was. He blocked out the stench immediately. Any vague remembrance of violence of any kind would cause his mind to start going back to its old train of thoughts, back to the days where he hunted and ruled the mountains. The villagers of that land had feared the beast that lived atop the hills that surrounded their homes, not once daring to enter the forest that kept them hidden from the outside world. 

Was the old place still intact after all these years? Techno could barely remember what it had looked like. Only the distant memory of his young self landing sight upon a foreign traveler with a green and white bucket hat who had entered his domain all those years ago, remained.

It was a miracle, then and there in that moment, that his young self had not attacked the man he now called his father. Phil had been so gentle and full of light that the voices screaming in his head had died down, and allowed the scared, weak, little boy he once was to melt in the warm embrace of an adult. It had been a feeling he had oh-so desperately wanted, and needed, and Phil had granted that wish of his, unaware of the possible danger he had been putting himself in, just by being in the same vicinity as young Techno. 

He remembered the shocked and fearful faces of the villagers when they had learned that the beast they feared had been a helpless, poor boy. Their anger soon vanished and was replaced with pity, and sorrow at seeing such a young child afflicted with the curse of the great evil. That was what they had told Phil. Techno has later down the line learned that the inhabitants of the village were very religious and devoted to their beliefs, and at seeing his young self in such a state, they had prayed for their gods to help him be healed, and saved from the evil that lived in his mind. 

Countless blessing had been placed upon him during that time of his life. His old wardrobe had mostly consisted of the flower crowns, moonstones, and other spiritual healing properties the village elders had gifted him. He remembered the joyous cries of other children when they saw him attempting to talk with them, but they had been awfully loud and pushy with their words, making him run to Phil with tears in his eyes because he didn't know how to respond back. 

Phil had playfully laughed at him, and wiped away his tears at the time. His new guardian's bellowing laughter had instantly cured his unhappy thoughts, making the little boy within him giggle. It had been a wonderful part of his childhood then. 

Why did everything have go wrong..? What had happened? Was it the so-called curse he had upon him that caused his family to drift apart and shatter? Why did it have to be him? Why Wilbur? Why Tommy and Tubbo? Why Phil? 

Why him...? 

Why was it afflicted upon him of all people? Why not the bastards that destroyed the lands that he called home? Why not the monsters of this world, the ones that call themselves his friends? Why did he deserves this?! Why not that green bastard called Dream?! Why not–

Techno's thoughts came to an abrupt halt as he found himself running into a hard, cold and firm surface. Falling back into the snow behind him, he shook his head as it spun around in circles. He had hit himself rather hard. His field of vision was busted, with trees warping into spirals, and the sky contorting into weird patterns. However, after a solid minute of him regaining his composure, he brought his gaze up towards the structure he had collided with.

He was met with a dark frame constructed of obsidian. It was a portal. A lit one too. At first, the nether was his first assumption, but that was idea quickly washed down the drain as his eyes laid down upon the inner workings of the portal. 

Instead of a vibrant, almost haunting purple doorway, he saw one of a much brighter hue. It was lilac in color, like a lavender flower that shone in the sunlight. It's glow wasn't hot and hostile like that of a Nether portal's either, but instead, it was replaced with a rather cool atmosphere, and he flinched, gently, as current of soft, warm laughter washed over his shivering figure that lay there, half-buried in the snow. The sudden warmth wrapped around his frozen limbs like that of a blanket. It reminded him of when he was sick, and Phil had kept him safe throughout the night, blanket in hand and a thermometer tucked between the corners of Techno's mouth. 

He liked it. He wanted more of it. As if sensing his positive thoughts, the light that shimmered within the frame of the portal walls beckoned him closer to its embrace. Techno gave in to it almost immediately. It felt like the day Phil had found him, brought him home, and made him apart of his family. He'd do anything to feel that again, and this very thing promised him that. His mind was no longer focused on the growing cold that whipped at his bare back, nor did he any longer hear the dark voices in the depths of his mind. 

They had been silenced, overpowered by the light that greeted their host. Techno soon found himself getting off the floor, snow falling from his clothes, as if it were being melted off by the warmth of a fireplace, just like all those years ago. His feet clambered up the steps to the portal, chunks of wet snow clinging to the soles of his boots. By the time he reached to top, the darkness behind him had long since ran away into the shadows of his mind, seeking shelter from the blinding light that had drove it away. Techno also no longer felt the pain at his side, and the warm crimson liquid that graced his side now felt hopeful, reminding him that he could still bleed, still feel, and was not some immortal monster. 

He was very much alive, and human. He was not what the voices told him he was. He was just an ordinary man, just looking for his place in the world. No amount of mockery, hatred, and sorrow could tell him otherwise. 

Wind flew through his messy locks, untangling them from the grip of the blood-caked skin that graced the back of his neck and back. He felt something solid, something heavy slip from the top of his head, and heard it fall to the snow with a soft plop. Whatever had fallen didn't matter to him any longer, however. He was a changed man, he reminded himself, just like he had claimed a few months back. It was now time to live up to that claim too, and this was the perfect place to start. 

With slight hesitation on his part, he walked into the portal, and allowed the lavender glow to fully embrace his bruised and battered figure. His breathing eased, and shoulders relaxed. He was safe now. Nothing could hurt him on the other side. The voices told him that, but this time there was no hostility. These were new voices. Not as many as before, but they were still strong in numbers. He could hear the warm laughter they accompanied him with, the greetings they shared, and all the helpful thoughts that drifted into the corners of his empty mind. 

He was safe. That's what they told him. So, with one last glimpse at the land he once called his home, he felt his very being slip from the world and disappear altogether, leaving nothing but a fading warmth disperse through the forest that surrounded the portal. Soon, the lavender light from the structure faded completely, gone in a matter of mere seconds, as if it had never existed, it's only purpose now fulfilled. 

The only trace of the Blood God's legacy was the gentle reflection of the night sky on the crown that lay beneath the shadow of the trees, buried deep within the snow, waiting to be discovered...


	2. Chapter 2

Morning birds chirped and sang shrill songs as the dawn of day crept over the sleeping jungle. Clouds were scattered across the horizon, slowly drifting by as the sky grew ever brighter in color. The dark, navy blue of the night had faded with time, giving way to the beautiful, pristine blue that took its rightful place. Trees of great height towered over the surrounding bush, with sunlight pouring through the canopy, and leaves slowly descending down to the ground below. 

A familiar Hermit, with brilliant emerald eyes, skipped by the scenery, it being a common sight for him to behold. He lived here after all. His jungle village was looking as alive as ever. Wild flowers of every color blossomed in the beds he had built for them, with bees happily buzzing around them, their little wings hovering with great speed. 

Scar smiled to himself, a melodic hum escaping his lips as he trotted down the pathway he had constructed not so long ago. Beside him, a beautiful feline scampered across the dirt, chasing a primrose butterfly, that had decided it would be fun to mess with the tabby. Netherless, despite Jellie's efforts to swat down the insect, the butterfly soon made its escape, letting the wind carry it away, earning a disappointed meow from the cat, who was now sad that play-time had ended. 

"Don't worry, Jellie!" Scar chuckled. "I'm sure you'll find someone to play with again." He was met with a soft purr as Jellie rubbed her head against his lower calf. Scar sheepishly smiled. Why did cats have to be so cute? He reached down and picked the feline up from the floor, and held her close to his chest." I love you, Jellie", he said, scratching the spot between her ears. She purred, content. 

Putting Jellie back down, he adjusted his hat as she ran off into the nearby bush. He figured she'd show up again at supper time, so there was no reason to worry. He sighed. That silly feline always liked to cause trouble. Hopefully, this time she wouldn't destroy any of Grian's old base's crops. Heavens know what happened after that incident. 

Speaking of Grian, Scar pulled out his communicator. He had yet to meet up with the blonde to help him construct the back of his base, since the HEP had lost the turf war just a few weeks back. It was going to be a long night, wasn't it..?

 **Scar:** Hey, Gri? You ready?

 **Grian:** Yeah, head on over. I'll meet you at the front door! 

**Scar:** Got it! 

**Xisuma:** Please don't blow anything up this time. Your TNT mining the other day caused some serious lag on the server. 

**Grian:** No promises :) 

Scar laughed at his friend's childish behavior. Leave it to Grian to cause trouble in the server. Let alone, another war. 

Adjusting the straps of his elytra, making sure they were all nice and snug, Scar blasted off into the sky with a shower of rocket particles behind him. The wind against his face felt amazing, and he wished he had the time to fly around the server, but Grian and him had a job to do. The back of the mansion wasn't going to finish itself.

And thanks to the speed the rockets gifted him, Scar arrived at the foot of Grian's mansion in no time at all. Where as it would've taken him six whole minutes to traverse the thick jungle that seperated their properties, this time it took only one. 

He looked around and sure enough, the district-mayor spotted the familiar red jumper that his friend wore so often. Scar waved, a toothy grin present on his face. "Hey, Gri!"

Grian flushed a tiny bit red at the cheeks. "Scar! I'm glad you could make it!" he greeted back. "I really need your help.."

Scar scratched the back of his head. "I can see that. Judging by all these shulker boxes and materials, this might take a while. I can't imagine you doing this all by yourself!"

"Yeah..", Grian smiled, embarrassed, before gaining back his confidence. "Let's get to work!"

The hours ticked by, relentlessly. Blocks were placed, broken, replaced, rinse repeat. This cycle went on and on for almost six hours with the two builders filling up the open walls. Every so often, a tool would break, and they'd have to get a spare, or sometimes, resources would run out, leading the pair to go on an excavation in a nearby biome. Needless to say, they hadn't come as prepared as they had so thought. 

A few hours later, with bruised knuckles, sweaty palms, and few minor injuries thanks to Grian's recklessness, the job was done. Scar and Grian took a step back to admire their work. The back was fulled to the brim with all its correct materials, the gradient of the walls blending together perfectly, but one could not just ignore the amazing landscape that led up to the base of the mansion. Scar's terraforming skills had truly shone that day. A beautiful, lush hillside sloped its way from the top of the flat base, that Grian had laid his mansion's foundation upon, all the way down connecting to the plains beneath it. 

The setting sun also helped to make the scene even more spectacular than it had looked in broad daylight. The two builders flew around their work, proud smiles on the both of their faces. Eventually, this flying session transformed into a game of sorts, seeing who could fly around the base the fastest. Grian had ultimately won the game, but not without a few comeuppances. It had become a running joke between the two of them as they ducked and weaved around the mansion's multiple chimneys about how hilarious it was that, when they had been racing each other, how often they had been colliding into one another. 

Overall, apart from the occasional hiccups, it had been a great day for the both of them. The job was done, they had fun whilst doing it, and they were glad to be with each other again. It wasn't often as it used to be, when they'd team up on a project or help each other out with something. It felt great to do it again. Scar really enjoyed Grian's company, and Grian enjoyed his, maybe more than it had initially seemed. 

Grian landed with a soft thud atop a small, grassy hill that lay opposite to the jungle. Scar followed him, and took a seat next to his friend on the dirt. 

"Thanks for helping me today. I couldn't have done this without you", Grian said, melting under the moon's gentle spotlight. 

"You're welcome, Gri", Scar replied back, a warm feeling brushing the tip of his nose. "You know I'm available if you ever need anything."

Grian looked down for a moment. "Y-Yeah, I know..."

Scar arched his brow, confused. "Is something wrong..?" Grian never seemed like the type to suddenly appear bothered, he was always smiling.

Grian quickly replied, stuttering. "No..! I'm fine, don't worry about it. Everything's okay..." He paused. "I've just been feeling something these past few days."

Scar shifted in his spot. "Feeling something? Oh no! Are you sick, Grian?!" 

The blonde laughed. "No, I'm not sick. I can promise you that." He then pulled up his communicator, and glanced at the time. Sighing, he got up from his position and fiddled with his elytra. "It's late. I'll see you tomorrow, Scar!" 

And with that, he blasted off into the night sky, taking a swan dive towards his newly-completed base, ready to turn in for the night, leaving behind a terribly confused and concerned Scar in the center of the moon's spotlight. "Well", the builder stated. "That happened. Time to turn in for the night, I suppose..."

Then it struck him. 

He also had to give Jellie her supper! How could he forget that?! Fumbling with the clips of his elytra, he equipped the rockets into his off-hand and fired away, launching himself into the star-filled night sky. He glided towards his base of operations, which was masterfully well-hidden and safe, thanks to the surrounding foliage.

Scar landed by the fountain that tied the many pathways around his village together. There were no mobs in sight, and it appeared all the villagers had gone to sleep. Good. Now all he had to do was to find Jellie. 

He cupped his hands around his mouth and shouted, "Jellie! Come here, girl!" There was no ruffling of leaves, nor any distant meows in the vicinity. Scar gave it a few minutes before calling out to his feline again, a bit worried she hadn't shown up by now. "Jellie! Come get your supper!"

Again, there was no immediate response, not even a frightened bird that could've been startled by her sudden appearance. Scar was starting to get extremely worried. 

Had she wandered off too far? Was she safe? What if she had fallen down a hole and gotten hurt?! Scar's mind began to go into overdrive as he searched, relentlessly, for his precious tabby. There was so much ground to cover, he'd probably spend the entire night searching. Did she go into the Nether? Could cats do that? He didn't know, but it wouldn't hurt to check. 

And so, check he did, but there was nothing. No Jellie, not even a shred of fur. Where could she have gone to? Scar was fairly sure he had checked everywhere. She wouldn't just run off like this. This was very unlike Jellie, and because of that one fact, Scar became increasingly worried, so he brought up his communicator. 

**Scar:** Is anyone awake? 

It had seemed he wasn't going to get an answer, but in a moment of hope, someone else typed in the chat. Scar blew a deep sigh of relief, seeing who it was. They'd no doubt help him out. 

**Ren:** Yeah, what's up? 

**Scar:** Jellie's missing! 

And with that simple statement, the chat blew up. 

**Stress:** Oh no! 

**Iskall:** She's whAT–

 **Mumbo:** Oh my word..! 

**Grian:** But I thought she was with you! 

**Scar:** She ran off earlier, but I figured she'd show up for supper time :'(

 **False:** We need to find her

 **Doc:** Agreed. 

**Cleo:** I'm in. 

**Ren:** Me too!

 **TFC:** You should all be asleep. It's late, what's this about? 

**Scar:** Jellie's Missing!! 

**TFC:** .....

 **TFC:** Ignore my previous statement. This is far more important. 

**Zedaph:** Indeed. 

**Cub:** Where was she last seen, Scar? 

Scar thought for a bit. He'd last seen Jellie near the jungle, when she had run off, but he had already searched every inch of the place. There was no way she'd still there in the middle of the night, not when there dangerous mobs out. He pondered, before typing back a reply. 

**Scar:** I last saw her around my base before I left to help grian with the back of his mansion. I've already searched the whole jungle, though...

 **Doc:** She probably wandered off to someone's base nearby for shelter from the night. Grian? 

**Grian:** Yeah? 

**Doc:** Check if she's near your base. Same goes to those near the jungle. 

**Xisuma:** It's 10 PM guys... What's going on so late at night?

 **Iskall:** Xisuma! Glad you're here! Jellie's gone missing!

 **Scar:** :(

 **Xisuma:** :0

 **Wels:** I know I'm late to the party, but I wanna help! 

**Scar:** Wait, Wels! Can cats go through the nether?

 **Wels:** I'm not entirely sure. Why are you asking me this..? 

**False:** Well, if cats can do such a thing, check your nether portal. It's in the open and easy to find. So if she shows up out if it, you can quickly catch her. 

**Cleo:** Good luck with that, she's quick. And hates Wels for an odd reason. 

**Wels:** I think you mean 'Hels' 

**Grian:** Who now? 

**Xisuma:** Guys, focus! We have a search party to sort out! 

**TFC:** Yes, Xisuma is right. We should form groups and split up. Grian you search your base with Mumbo. Ren, False, and Cub will check out the shopping district. Xisuma, Wels, Impulse, and I will search between biomes. Scar, you go with Iskall and Doc to look around his OMEGA tree. Zedaph, you search the local mines with Stress. 

A reply of agreements shot by shortly afterwards, Impulse soon joining the chat at seeing his name mentioned, and being ultimately confused at the sudden alarm of Jellie missing. Eventually, everyone wished each other good luck and headed off to grouip up with their assigned partners.

Not long after the sudden silence in the chat, Scar began his trip to Iskall's base with his elytra. Unfortunately, halfway there, they broke, and he was sent falling a short distance downwards, before making impact with a not-so soft bed of bushes. It had greatly reduced his fall damage, but it still stung quite a bit, much to his distain.

"Dang it!" he cursed, frustrated. He almost wanted to cry. He had to get to Iskall's! 

Stretching his knees a bit, he was satisfied to hear an audible click emit from them, so he started walking, biting back the tears that threatened to spill from his eyes. 

It had been about five minutes when he took a short breather, and pulled up his communicator. 

**Scar:** Sorry for the wait, Iskall. My elytra broke. 

**Iskall:** Not a problem! I can begin searching around my base while I wait for you, if you'd like? 

**Scar:** That'd be great. Thanks. 

He sighed. At least Iskall would do him a favor and start his search. Although, it would be quicker to search his entire base with more than one person, he wasn't exactly in the current shape be doing any of that. So, Iskall would have to do this solo. 

Grunting, Scar set off again in the direction of the OMEGA Tree, but immediately halted in his steps upon hearing a familiar sound. 

A cat. He had heard a cat! 

Scar spun around in his heel, and almost cried out in pure joy at seeing Jellie, seated upon a rock behind him. "Jellie! Why would you run away from like that? You had Papa worried sick!" Jellie meowed, nervously, in response and hopped off the rock before disappearing back into the shadows of the jungle. Scar practically felt his heart stop, and so he trailed after her. "Jellie, wait!" he screamed out in alarm. He didn't want to lose her again. "Where are you going?!"

As if hearing his plead, Jellie came to a stop, peering into the distance, flicking her tail as if pointing Scar in the direction of something. Scar knelt beside his beloved feline, seemingly to have gotten the hint. She was trying to show him something. What did she find that could've been so important, that she'd stayed in the area for so long? 

Scar followed Jellie's line of sight and looked forward, biting his lip. Beyond the bushes, there was a small clearing, and in the center of it, there stood a portal frame. 

_'Strange..',_ Scar thought. _'Why would someone leave a nether portal unlit in the middle of nowhere? I don't remember building it either, so it can't be mine..'_

He looked closer, and the more he did, he noticed that it was in fact, not a nether portal at all. It had the same frame structure sure, and it was constructed of obsidian, but there were strange runes carved into its walls. There were pictures of all sorts of things scribbled on there. Names, tally marks, and even horrid drawings of a....circle? With a face..? Strange...

Maybe Xisuma would know something about this. Scar pulled up his communicator. He needed to tell everyone he found Jellie, and about her discovery too. 

**Scar:** Okay, everyone. Good news, and weird news. 

**Tango:** Where's the bad news? 

**Impulse:** Quiet, Tango! What's the good news? Did you find Jellie?! 

**Stress:** Yeah, did you? 

**Scar:** Well, yes, but.... 

**TFC:** But...? 

**Scar:** She may have found something while she was gone. Xisuma, I'm sending you my coordinates. 

**Xisuma:** Is it something serious?

 **Scar:** Not sure, that's why I'm checking in with you. 

**Xisuma:** Okay, I'm heading over. 

**Stress:** Stay safe, guys. I'll alert the others of the news. 

**Scar:** Will do, thanks. 

Scar tucked his communicator back into his inventory and crept closer to the supposed portal. Jellie followed after him, her ears high up and alert, tail twitching frantically as the both of them grew closer to it. Birds were few and far in between, their sparse tweets not offering comfort with the ever-growing anxiety that pooled in the pit of Scar's stomach. It also didn't help that he could hear a few mobs in the area, some skeletons not too far away. It made him more nervous than he should've been. 

When he finally reached it, he looked up at it. It was tall, slim, and opposing nonetheless. He felt tiny just standing before it. This thing looked old too, perhaps ancient, but if it had been here for so long, why hadn't any of them discovered its existence yet? It definitely brought up some questions that Scar would rather not want to hear the answer too, no matter how curious he was at the moment. 

His gaze flickered to the ruins engraved into the obsidian that it had been built out of. There were many ones repeated, and scratched out. Notes? A message, perhaps? Or a language...? 

His mind began to turn. Was there some code written into the frames of the portal? Why would that need to be there? To convey a hidden fact? But why, and what did it mean? Why were so many of them scratched out too? It only confused him more, so he turned his attention to the biggest piece of information scratched into the frame. 

A diamond-shaped center surrounded by a square outer lining. It almost looked like an artwork, or a button of some kind. Did it have a use? A purpose as to why it was put there? Maybe it meant something. He'd have to ask Xisuma about it later, when he got here that is. 

He inspected it closer, brushing his fingertips over the linework . It was rough and bump, as if it had been rushed, and more strangely enough, the diamond center was sticking out of the wall by a mere fraction. Scar didn't know what compelled him to touch it, but touch it he did. 

Within an instant, the whole clearing lit up like the fourth of July. A bright, lavender hue flooded the surrounding area of the portal frame, and Scar found himself shielding his eyes from the intensity of the sudden flash. It stung for a bit, but the feeling of pain gradually gave way and was replaced with a cool, gentle breeze fluttering past his face. 

He uncovered his face, and almost screamed. Jellie ran and hid behind him, eyes wide and cautious. Birds in the vicinity immediately began screeching at the top of their lungs, shouting out shrill warnings to the rest of the flock, telling them of a possible danger. Mobs retreated, oddly enough, and stayed in the shadows, away from the blinding light of the newly-lit portal. 

Scar was staring at it, but not it specifically. There was a figure there, clad in a seemingly royal outfit, a wardrobe fit for kings. His side was caked with dried blood, and his hands and face, an icy blue at the edges. His eyes were barley ajar, squinting in Scar's direction, as if trying to make out what exactly he was. Scar would've assumed they were short-sighted, if it weren't for the upturned glasses that rested on their nose. 

Suddenly, with nothing but a quick tilt of the head, the figure's knees gave way and they collapsed, falling to the dirt below their feet. Almost immediately, the portal went dark, no longer alight, and the dangers of the night crept closer, curiosity shining in their once morbidly dead stares. 

Scar didn't know what to do, so he turned to his only option left, and opened his communicator. He almost dropped it in surprise. 

_Technoblade joined the game._

If the chat was going up in flames earlier with all the replies, then it was as sure as hell erupting like a volcano now.


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey, sorry for the confusion earlier! This fic is not completed, there will be more than two chapters! I just messed up on the settings because I am dumb, and very new to Ao3!
> 
> Apart from that, thank you for the kudos, and I hope you enjoy this chapter! Expect more very close future updates because I have seven more chapters already written down and ready to go.
> 
> If you wish to see the rest that are already published, go to Wattpad under the same username, and you'll see the book on my profile. 
> 
> Enjoy!

Grian pulled the blanket over his cold, frail body. The fireplace beside him wasn't doing him any justice, either. It felt like he was stuck in a never-ending blizzard, and he hated every second of it. Cold air bit at the tip of his nose and fingertips. He'd admit, it was awfully stupid of him to wander around his base in the middle of a winter night. Luckily, Mumbo was there to fish him out the river at the moment he had fallen in. 

Speaking of Mumbo, the fellow architect was letting himself drip dry by the couch he had placed Grian on, the flicker of the flames bringing warmth to his fingers. The two of them sat there for what felt like hours, just listening to the distant roars of thunder in content silence. It was moments like these that made Grian feel truly alive. Moments that were so peaceful, he'd want to spend an eternity in, just listening to the rain patter on the windows. 

However, good things must come to an end eventually, and it seemed, their communicators going off like fireworks on New Year's, was the end to their little moment. 

"What's got them so worked up?" Mumbo pondered, bags beneath his eyes. He yawned. "You'd think they had discovered Narnia with the fuss they're making."

Grian stifled a snicker, shifting upright on the couch, blanket wrapped around him like a cacoon. "Maybe they found Jellie", he responded, weakly. Water dripped from the tips of his hair. It looked more of a mop than a fashion statement, muddy color and all.

"Maybe", Mumbo responded, idly. His eyes scanned over the texts popping up in his feed, before almost dropping his communicator from his grasp altogether. Grian flinched at his friend's sudden wide-eyed stare. 

"What's wrong..?" he asked. Mumbo never looked as pale as this. Not even when he was sick! Something had to be up. 

Mumbo chuckled, nervously. "I-It appears we've got company...", he stated, a sour taste in his mouth. Who could this person be? Blade? What kind of a name was that. It certainly didn't sound friendly. 

Grian arched an eyebrow, slightly worried. "Company? What do you mean?"

"It means a stranger has joined the server, Grian."

The blonde froze in shock. Someone they didn't know had joined the server? How was that possible? Judging by Mumbo's expression, they didn't appear to be whitelisted. It should be impossible for them to join without an invitation of some sort. 

"What's their name?" Grian inquired, inching forward from his spot until he was next to Mumbo, a clear view of his communicator's screen right before his eyes. "Technoblade? That's odd. Do you know them?" 

Mumbo shook his head, clearly riddled by the sight before him. "Unfortunately, no, and I don't think I'm the only one who doesn't."

Grian gulped, at hearing that last part. Nobody knew this 'Blade' character? Not even Xisuma? That wasn't good. Not good at all, actually. 

"Do we know where he is?" he asked. Mumbo nodded. 

"Scar says he saw him come out a Portal. Jellie had supposedly found it while she was running around."

Grian pursed his lips, taking in the information slowly. "Is he awake?" 

"According to Scar, no", Mumbo answered Grian's question. "He collapsed due to exhastion, and is now recovering under Joe's supervision. He's badly wounded, apparently."

Grian paused. Badly wounded? Why was this new player hurt? A Mob attack, perhaps? Other players? Players weren't supposed to come out the other end of portals hurt. Everyone knew it was common knowledge that they had a small healing factor, like when you were fire in the Nether, you'd walk through it, and the flames would be put out almost immediately. 

Something didn't add up here... 

As if sensing his confusion, Mumbo shook Grian's shoulder, snapping him out of his daze. "You good, Grian?" he asked, his tone laced with concern. It was unusual for Grian to be so quiet. The reckless blonde would normally be spouting ideas off the top of his head at a moment's notice. However, today, he just seemed out of tune for some reason. 

Grian gripped his blanket tighter, clearly a bit shaken from the sudden form of contact. Mumbo hadn't expected him to flinch so hard. It wasn't like Grian at all, and yet, he didn't look up to answering any questions either, so instead of bothering him, Mumbo resorted to getting up from his spot on the couch and detaching an umbrella. 

"I'll head on out and see what's up", he stated. Grian took the information in with a small nod. Mumbo relaxed his shoulders, happy to see his best friend paying attention. "You stay here, Gri. I'll be back in an hour."

Grian bid him farewell. "Alright. Stay safe out there."

"I will."

The sounds of rockets filled the air, telling Grian of his friend's departure. He unwound his legs from their crouched position underneath the blanket, and hunched forward on his knees. The warmth of the fireplace hit him in the face, almost immediately, as he clambered off the piece of furniture of which he sat upon, and took his place in front of the only working source of light available in the room. 

The flames made him feel safe. It reminded him of the jolly Christmas gatherings that the rest of the Hermits held each year. He could hear the carols being sung, with a barely sober Doc playing the organ in the backround of it all. Grian chuckled at the fond memory, confused as to why he even brought it up in the first place. 

_'Odd..',_ he thought to himself. _'What's up with me all of a sudden?'_

He recalled earlier that Mumbo, Scar, and a few others had picked up on his strange mood too, saying he seemed a bit more down that usual. He was jumpy as well. Stress had pointed that out a few hours beforehand, saying it was if he was going to cower in fear and run away at any second then. It was strange. Even he thought that at times, but he didn't know why it was happening in the first place, either. That mere fact still ridiculed him, making his head go light at times. 

It wasn't nice, being lightheaded and all. He would often lose his balance, resulting in his clumsy arse tripping over the smallest of things, such as a slightly upturned floorboard, or even a random chicken that had decided to make itself at home in the hallways in his mansion. Grian hated it with every fibre of his being. The constant headaches annoyed him to no end. 

Was he falling victim to the flu? Perhaps. He should probably check in with Cub, now that he thought about it more clearly. The pharmacist should still have some painkillers at hand, ready to go when needed, despite the wardrobe change he had recently converted too. Grian laughed, as he remembered seeing his fellow Hermit dressed up as a pharaoh not so long ago, for the first time too. It was an experience, that was for sure.

Sighing, Grian made himself comfortable, resting his head against the front of the couch behind him. He'd asked Cub about it tomorrow. For now, he just wanted this stupid migraine to disappear. 

And quickly...


	4. Chapter 4

He dreamt.

It was a nice dream. His body felt warm, and the darkness that once plagued his soul had crept away, taking refuge in the darker parts of his mind, locked away for the time being. He had no intention of letting them roam free again, so he tried his best to keep traversing the strange landscape he found himself in, spreading the distance between them even more. 

He glanced at his surroundings, taking them in all at once. Flowers littered the clearing he stood in, and the sound of crickets chirping resonated from every inch of the forest. It was safe, at most. Nothing seemed to want to hurt him as far as he could tell. There were no hostile mobs roaming the area around him, nor any shadows lurking unseen.

It was peculiar, and struck his thoughts like that of a guitar. The time of day was clearly night, with the many constellations he could see in the sky, and the absence of animals awake at the moment. It was tranquil, almost peaceful.

_Almost._

He could sense them. With so many years of battle training under his belt, Techno instantly knew when he was being watched. Taking precaution, the former warrior reached for his diamond blade by pure instinct, but felt his hand grip nothing but air. Glancing down, he noticed that his prized weapon was missing, gone from its spot beside his waist. 

He had sworn he had taken it with when he had escaped earlier. He was sure of it! Now it was gone. Immediately, he felt defenseless without it, and resorted to laying low. Whoever, or whatever, was watching him, they had no idea who they were dealing with. 

Or so he had thought. 

In the blink of an eye, he found himself being held down on a hard, cold surface. Techno thrashed wildly, looking around for any means of escape, and he went into full panic when he noticed the scenery around him had changed completely. He was no longer in the meadow he had woken up in, but instead, lying flat down atop a tiled floor. His mind raced, thinking of countless possibilities as to where he was, but nothing in the room he was in looked recognizable. In fact the whole place was empty, it's weirdly, yet soft, walls lined with white paint.

He had no idea where he was, but he didn't like it, not one bit. Ideas of escape popped in and out of his mind, but he was too busy hyperventilating to even think straight at this point. He felt like the walls were closing in on him, and he was afraid he'd be flattened like a pancake because of the relentless pressure he had on his shoulders. 

Techno wanted it to stop. He didn't want any of this. Couldn't he go back to the nice place from before? Didn't those new voices say he was going to be safe on the other side?!

His mind was going into an absolute frenzy. It felt like his face was on fire, until the all too familiar trickle of cold water made its way down his cheeks. Wiping at his red, swollen eyes, Techno realized he had been crying. For a while now too. His face was a mess, and there were many drops of water on his shirt, their dark patches leaking into each other to create a larger one. Eventually, it formed a big splotch of grey against the white of his top, bringing him no sense of security whatsoever. 

Then, in that moment, he realized what was happening. He was having a nightmare, a lucid dream of all things, too! He was also having a severe panic attack, if that wasn't obvious enough. Techno tried calming himself down, trying to think of it as nothing more than a stupid dream gone wrong. Nothing was going to hurt him here. It wasn't real! 

Then, as quickly as it came, the small space he had been thrown into, all but melted away to reveal a pitch black void of nothingness. He would've considered it another nightmare, if it weren't for the bright light that shone just a few meters away from him. 

In an instant, he was back up on his feet, his strength having seemingly returned after his episode, now that it was over.

He eyed the light that was opposite to him. He was unsure of whether to trust his own judgment, and just go up to it, but after his previous trip, he wasn't so sure, so he stayed put, waiting for it to do something. To his surprise, nothing did occur, and remained motionless on his side of the space. 

The light didn't fade as he had hoped it would either, despite what he had presumably thought to be hours, slowly ticked by. It seemed to just exist there, in this dark, and lonely space, as if waiting for something, or someone... 

The idea struck him like a chord. Was, it waiting for him? What should he do? Walk up to it and say 'Hallo?' No, of course not. That was stupid, and as weird it seemed, might get him killed as well. 

Nevertheless, he was currently out of options, and with each passing second, his anxiety swelled to new heights, making him want to leave this dreamy landscape all the more quicker. So he had no choice, but to get up from his spot on what he assumed was the floor, seeing that he could walk and sit on it, without falling into the inky, black void he saw beneath him. 

As soon as he took a step towards the light, he heard them again. The voices were back, but not his old ones. No, these were the newer ones. Th nicer ones. The ones that didn't mock him, scream at him, or even threaten to hurt the ones he loved. These voices were, instead of that, guiding him closer to the light, giving him words of great kindness. They echoed in his mind, but not so loud that they'd rattle his brains. They were gentle, soft even, like that of a parental figure's. It made him feel all fuzzy inside. He felt drawn to it. 

Inching closer, the voices became more distinct. Some were deeper, others, higher in volume. A couple sounded excited, almost pleased with his actions. A few others came off as hushed, quiet, and perhaps shy, as some may have thought they were, but Techno knew better. Those voices were the quietest because they were the most respectful ones here. They knew when to remain silent, and to not stir any trouble or drama, as to respect those around them. Techno appreciated that, and mentally noted it down to thank them later. 

Now, as he stood before the light, he could hear them all loud and clear. There were three that sounded like women, and the rest, an assortment of more masculine voices, who seemed more of the loud bunch compared to the supposed females. However, amongst them all, there was no hostile emotions, no hatred, or thirst for blood. 

It sounded like a family. A large and dysfunctional one, yes, but a family nonetheless. 

That factor only tributed to his desire to step into the light even more so than it had been previously, but he still hesitated. He felt like there was something detached from the rest of the voices waiting on the other side. He couldn't quite put his finger on it, but it definitely sounded sad, perhaps lonely. Techno could sense its unhappiness, it's desire to fit in with the rest. He found himself feeling disheartened because of it. 

Was there someone who was going through the same as him? Somebody who felt like they'd hurt everyone around them? Or was it a different matter, something he couldn't begin to grasp or understood. Whatever it was, it wanted help, and it needed it fast. He could feel it ever-so-slowly slipping away, into the darkness that awaited its descent into madness. It was in that moment, Techno knew what it was that he had to do.

He stepped into the light, and was immediately met with a blinding sense of sheer pain. 

He felt his body hiss in retaliation to his sudden return to reality, having probably put too much movement into his actions from before. He bit down on his lip, and counted to ten in the privacy of his mind, as he waited for the stinging to die down. 

Once he felt comfortable, he spread his fingers out, feeling the surface below him. It helped bring him back down to earth, and remind him that he was no longer dreaming. He still saw blackness, however, but that was because his eyes had remained shut, refusing to open despite his best efforts. However, that didn't mean his other senses weren't awake. He could still very well hear the world around him. There was the sound of clattering metal trays in the far off distance, and a sound of a heart-rate monitor doing its task of measuring the beating of his heart. 

He instantly knew he was in some sort of medical center, if not a hospital, but there was no sound of nurses walking in and out, or any other patients for that matter, either. He was alone in the room, vulnerable and alert. 

Techno gripped the soft surface beneath him, instantly recognizing its texture as that of a mattress. He was in a bed, a medical one. The thin, sheet blanket that lay atop his body helped to his body insulate the heat around him, effectively keeping him warm. It was a known fact that any place or setting in the medical profession liked to keep its rooms air conditioned, so he appreciated the act of kindness of the people that were supposedly helping him recover, whoever they might be. 

This place was safe, that was his first initial thought. It was a hospital of some sort after all, but even Techno found himself questioning its security. Of course, he had a history with doctors, but that's not what kept him on edge. No, what made him feel uneasy was the lack of voices in his head. The nice ones frtom beforehand had now disappeared completely from his mindscape. Techno didn't like that. They made him feel safe. They made think that nothing would dare to harm him. They made him–

And then he heard it.

A voice. One he recognized. It was jumpy, disorganized, but kind. He had heard it before. It was one of the nice voices. The voice, as far as he could tell, was male, and had a somewhat British accent to it. 

Immediately, his mind thought back to Wilbur, but even with the certain pronunciation of the voice's words, it was far too sophisticated to be his brother, or any other British person he had known previously. It was someone different, someone who wasn't loud, rude, sarcastic, funny, or quirky. Instead, they were shy, worried, and sounded very proper for someone who would talk in their early twenties. They were definitely a soft sap, that was for sure. 

As time went on, more new voices arose, and Techno found himself being able to distinctly recognize every single one of them. Eventually, the majority of the nice voices he knew from earlier swelled in volume. However, Techno soon came to realize, that these were not in fact voices, but actual living, breathing people.

His mind went into a static loop, trying it's best to comprehend this groundbreaking discovery he had just made. The voices he knew were never voice at all, but people! People who wanted to help! Well, that was his first assumption. 

However, he soon realized that, even though the voices he was hearing did in fact belong to the strangers that were now residing in the same room as him, they had never actually spoken to him directly. It was just probably the words that they had countlessly spoken towards one another, but what bothered him about this the most, was that their words had somehow been mentally projected to his own mind back to the time he had first collectively heard them speaking. Whether or was by some means of magic or trickery, he wasn't certain. 

In the end, some supernatural force was the only possible explanation. How else could he have heard their conversations from the other side of a portal? And who possessed the magic to do so? 

So many countless questions littered his mind, that he almost felt like drifting off into an endless eternity of peace, but something prevented him from doing so, and that was when he noticed his vision was becoming brighter, and that his eyes felt less heavy. 

His mind immediately came to the conclusion that his body was waking up. He had been mentally awake the whole time, but his body hadn't, that had been why he couldn't open his eyes, or make any large attempts at getting up. He could barely lift his fingers earlier, but now he felt his hands clenching, forming shaky fists as his breathing started to rapidly increase in speed. 

Commotion formed from all around him too, and he knew it was the voices––no, the people that he could hear before, getting all riled up at his bodily reactions. They knew he was was preparing to wake up, and they sounded excited, well, most of them. Some were gushing, almost happily at the smallest of motions that came from him, like the twitch of his foot just now. A few others sounded almost a bit frightened. He couldn't blame them. He was rather unnaturally tall, and bulky in size around the arms. He in no doubt appeared treating in stature. It made him feel unsure if whether he wanted to wake up fully. He didn't want to scare them, but this was something he had no control over. He was going to wake up, whether he liked it or not. 

With no other choice, but to just abide by his body's rules, he allowed his tired eyes to open, and he was, much to his surprise, met with many more faces than he had initially anticipated.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry that I've been gone for a bit! School's been very busy and I've been working on a project. Anyways, I hope you enjoyed.


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Double update pog!

Techno stared at the audience that stood before him. He hadn't expected to see this many people in one small space. He could feel the pressure and utter anxiety of being stared at, swell up from inside him. As soon as he made eye contact with one of the players in the front row, he immediately turned his gaze to the potted plant atop the bedside table to his right.

The man he made eye contact with, merely clicked his head in subtle confusion at his reaction. He had initially expected some sort of greeting, or even a frightened cry at seeing so many of them. He did have to admit though, their patient was definitely on the more beefy side, so maybe he was just simply not afraid of them to begin with. 

After giving his fellow hermits some time to calm down at the sight of the man, he decided that it was now the ideal time to speak up. 

"The name's Xisuma", he introduced himself. His helmet hid his expression. "What's yours?"

Techno side-glanced at him. He mumbled to himself, kind of wishing he could hide his face like Xisuma's. "Wouldn't it have come up in the chat..?" he pointed out. 

Xisuma sighed. "Yes, but I'm trying to get a conversation started." 

_'This seems more like an interrogation...',_ Techno thought, eying Xisuma's stiff posture. He turned to face them again, and his mind drew an immediate blank as soon as he was reminded of the other many people there. He blamed his anxiety for making him suffer under their watchful gazes, but he remained strong. 

"It's Technoblade." He paused. His name sounded stupid. "Techno for short."

Xisuma noted down the nickname, filing it away for later. He then glanced at at another Hermit to his right, who also seemed to have noticed Techno's unease. They seemed to get the message. 

"Alright, everyone", Joe announced. "The party's over. Please go back to your homes."

He was met a wave of unhappy cries and annoyed groans, but eventually the rest of the crowd dispersed, allowing Techno some room to breathe, as well as collect his cluttered mess of thoughts. He was almost thankful for the two players that now remained in the room, but he quickly flushed that notion down the drain when the mood took a solid hundred-and-eighty degrees turn for the worse. 

Xisuma sat cross-legged atop a stool, his back hunched, and firm gaze fixed on Techno. He was no doubt taking in everything about him, from the structure of his build, to the clothes he wore. This man was determined to make sure he wasn't a threat to the server. Techno somewhat admired his bravery at facing an unknown danger, such as himself. It was something they needed back at home. Someone who wouldn't drop any single notion of not backing down when getting into a political argument. Techno then thought of Tommy, but dismissed it. The kid wasn't a hero in his eyes. 

Xisuma cleared his throat. "Do you know how you got here, Mr Blade?" 

Techno grimaced, slightly. _'He's being formal. That's not good.'_ Sarcasm dripped from his inner dialogue, and he tried his best not to roll his eyes. He had already grown sick of being addressed in such a way, mostly on Schlatt's part, but that old goat only ready did it out of spite. Techno didn't want any form of respect from anyone, even if Xisuma was using it to try and hide his true emotions behind the question. 

"Well, I was running in the cold, got shot by a skeleton, and walked through a portal", Techno summarized. "That's the basics of it anyway."

Xisuma squinted, but Techno couldn't see it from behind the man's purple visor. "Why were you running?"

Techno almost flinched. The question was harsh, no sense of kindness in Xisuma's words. The bastard knew just what to ask and when, no matter how personal. He got straight to the point. Techno admired that in a person, but he never wanted to be the victim of it.

He shifted a bit, ignoring the biting sting from his waist, the pain cursing his posture as a result. Techno grimaced. "I was being chased, sought after...", he stated. "Hunted."

Joe, who stood beside Xisuma, felt a shiver go down his spine at that last bit of information. The man before him had said it with such intensity, but there was something else hidden beneath it...

Fear. 

Fear of what? Being hunted? Joe could get understand that, it was a primal instinct to be scared whilst being chased after, but he knew there was something other than just fear behind those words. Something dark, and dangerous too. He wanted to know more, but he knew when it was best not to pry. Unfortunately, Xisuma did not have any of the remote decency he did, upon realizing the twisted meaning of Techno's choice of words. 

"You were being hunted. Why?" It was a simple question, but it brought up so much tension into the room. Joe thought he could cut it with a knife, it was so thick. He felt like he was being suffocated by it.

To no one's surprise, Techno remained silent. His eyes spoke for him. Joe could see the torment that swelled within them, and he found his usual fixed smile begin to droop in empathy. It appeared he might have another troubled soul to invite to therapy. At least Doc wouldn't attend his sessions alone anymore, and the more he thought about it, the two seemed to have things in common, more so than he wished to admit. 

He sighed, placing a firm hand on Xisuma's shoulder, and tipped his head in the direction of the closest storage room. He needed to discuss this in private. Xisuma got the message, fairly quickly, having worked with Joe for a couple seasons prior to their current one. 

The admin turned to their patient. "If you'll excuse us for a moment", he said, fumbling with his words a bit. Techno gave a subtle, but convincing nod, letting the two Hermits know he would appreciate some time to himself, figuring things out while they talked. 

Xisuma got up from his spot and accompanied Joe to the privacy of the storage room in the corridor opposite from them. Joe shut the door behind him and turned to face his friend.

"Look, I know you don't trust him, but I think we need to see how things play out before we decide whether to let him stay or kick him", he said, the words shaking on the tip of his tongue. "I....I think he needs help. Our help. There was something in his eyes, I just––I just couldn't put a finger on it!"

Xisuma eyed his friend, cautiously, taking their words in with content to listen to what they had to say, albeit a bit worried by the constant stuttering. He may be admin, but he couldn't make this decision alone. It wasn't often that he'd find himself in precarious situations like this, and when he did, he'd usually reach out for advice. When faced with a potential threat to the server and his people, however, he'd usually deal with it on his own, but there was something about the stranger in the next room that made him think about his next course of action, very carefully. 

Xisuma needed another's perspective on the current situation, and Joe seemed like the right person to look to. 

"So, you're saying we observe his behavior before we make up our minds?" Xisuma asked, hoping he was getting the tight message. 

Joe nodded, vigorously. "Yes! That's exactly what I mean! See how he handles the situation, and see from there whether he's safe to keep around, at least until we can find out where he originated from..", his voiced cracked, making him pause for a bit. "But from what I saw in his eyes, I don't think he's keen on going back anytime soon, b-but that's just a guess! I could be wrong about that, but yeah, just keep that mind.." 

Xisuma nodded, concerned and also confused as to why his friend words were all over the place. It wasn't like Joe to be so nerve-wracked. Just what did he see reflected in that man's eyes..? 

He shook his head. Joe would be fine. There was absolutely nothing to worry about. He just had to stay focused on the current situation, and stay calm throughout. Xisuma drew in a deep breath, and smiled at Joe, generously. 

"Thanks for the help", he ushered, his eyes averting their gaze to the floor. "I really needed another's perspective on things." 

"Of course..!" Joe stuttered, momentarily, before his normal cheerful self returned within the next moment. "I'm glad I could be of help!" He spun around to open the door behind him, his expression thoughtful, but before he turned the knob, he looked back at Xisuma, smiling. "I'm glad you're looking out for the others, X. It means a lot to know someone is looking out for us, but please don't be afraid to ask for help yourself. We also care about your own well-being."

Those words hit Xisuma like a wave washing over the sand beaches, filling his mind with relief. Xisuma's expressions turned soft, although Joe couldn't see it ftom behind the man's helmet. It saved him from gaining some form of second-hand embarrassment. He was grateful to have friends like the Hermits. 

"I know, Joe", he confirmed, more to himself than anyone. "I know."

Joe let out a quiet chuckle, before exiting the room, bidding Xisuma farewell for the time being. Xisuma did the same, his hand still waving even moments after his friend had left. Sighing contently, he trudged off in the direction of Techno's recovery room, a somewhat newfound confidence noticeable in their gait. 

Maybe things wouldn't be as bad as he had initially thought, after all...


End file.
